China has raised the bar with the creation of the most intricate and detailed atlas of the moon to date. This geographic atlas maps every crater and geological feature on the moon’s surface with unprecedented precision. The atlas showcases every impact crater from meteor collisions.
Senior researcher Liu Jianzhong from the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Institute of Geochemistry explains that the map draws you in with its depiction of craters, encouraging questions and exploration. These 'impact craters' are the marks left by meteorites impacting the moon's surface — an ongoing process that continues to shape our natural satellite.
Admire the pinnacle of lunar cartography with
Source: aajtak
Liu highlighted the comprehensive nature of the map, stating that it includes every known crater, impact basins, and even those with a diameter over 200 kilometers have been diligently marked. Each crater is color-coded according to its age, with the purple ones denoting the oldest.
The atlas was in development since 2012
Chinese scientists and cartographers, using images from the Chang'e-1 and Chang'e-2 missions, began the atlas in 2012. Subsequent missions, Chang'e-3 and Chang'e-4 in 2013 and 2019, continued to provide detailed photographs of the moon. The Chang'e-5 mission recently returned lunar samples from the moon's surface to Earth for further study by scientists.
Explore the depths with
Source: aajtak
Information from the Chang'e Lunar Mission Proves Invaluable
The cumulative data from all four lunar missions has resulted in this colossal and the moon’s most detailed map ever conceived. The Chang'e-5's sample-return mission from the near side of the moon, the part visible to us, occurred in 2020, and the samples have now been brought back to Earth. Specialized scientific studies are underway.
China to launch Chang'e-6 Lunar Mission this year
China is gearing up to launch the Chang'e-6 lunar mission this year, continuing its sample-return initiatives. Ouyang Ziyuan, a prominent lunar scientist, declares that the atlas offers comprehensive information on the moon — a level of detail not previously achieved in human history. China's plan includes establishing an International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) on the moon by 2030 and aiming to land astronauts on the lunar surface within the same timeframe. A global space race is on, with the United States also in the running to reach the moon.
